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Phillies 'Southpaw' Prospect, Cole Irvin

01-10-2019, 06:38 AM

The Phillies have something in the way of a "secret weapon" that I fully expect them to spring on the rest of the N.L. at some point this season, if not in the opening week of the season. That weapon is 24-year old LHP, Cole Irvin. The 2016 fifth round draft pick was named the 'International League (AAA) Pitcher of the Year' for his outstanding work in 2018. Irvin has only been in organized baseball for three years, so it his not required that the Phillies carry him on their 40 Man Roster. For that reason I call him their 'secret weapon'.
Irvin's record at Lehigh Valley in 2018 shows the following. He went 14-4 to lead the league in Wins. His earned run average was also league-leading (2.57 ) as was his his WHIP (1.05). Irvin was the I.L's runner-up in innings pitched (161.1), barely edged out by that of another pitcher. Will he pitch himself on to the Phillies Opening Day 25 man roster with a strong performance in this year's Phillies Spring Training at Clearwater, Florida? I think that's a good possibility. Perhaps the Philllies will have Irvin make a later MLB debut, (delaying the start of his Major Leagues service clock) in order to retain Irvin's services for one extra season before he could become a Free Agent, much like the Chcago Cubs did with Kris Bryant in 2015,. I look for big things in the near future from this University of Oregon product!